Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from the Cathaoirleach, Deputy Denis Naughten. Members participating in the meeting remotely are required to do so from within the precincts of the Leinster House complex only. I ask members and witnesses to please turn off their mobile phones or ensure they are on silent mode. I advise members of the committee who are participating in the meeting remotely to use the raise-hand function on Microsoft Teams if they wish to contribute.

The Safe Deposits Boxes and Related Deposits Bill 2022 concerns abandoned safe deposit boxes residing in some of the oldest banks still in operation today. Some of these boxes are in a sealed state and, as such, it is unknown what lies within them. This legislation is a rarity for two reasons. First, it has the potential to uncover hugely meaningful artefacts that could be of significance to the State. Second, it is an opportunity seized by Deputy Ó Cuív to fully utilise the parliamentary legal drafting service with a Private Member's Bill, which has the possibility of achieving a great common good. The Bill has six Parts and 30 sections, addressing among other items: the registration of deposits; the retention by the State of unclaimed property; notification of relevant institutions such as the National Gallery or the National Library and the disposal or transfer of unclaimed property and moneys.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Community and Rural Development first looked at this issue in March 2019. It is clear that some of the issues raised in that debate on abandoned safe deposit boxes have been addressed in Deputy Ó Cuív's Private Member's Bill. The Bill was first introduced in May 2022 and has now reached pre-Committee Stage scrutiny. There have been some subsequent developments to this area with Ireland's Safe Deposit Box, Bank and Payment Accounts Register, ISBAR, regulated by the Central Bank, which credit institutions began onboarding in February 2023.

Today, we are engaging with departmental officials from three Departments on how this Bill may potentially affect their work and how the committee can best incorporate their views in the detailed scrutiny process to assist with and improve this Bill.

I welcome to the meeting today representatives from the Department of Rural and Community Development: Mr. Kenneth Jordan, principal officer in the finance and evaluation unit; from the Department of Finance, Mr. Pat Leahy, principal officer in the banking division, and Ms Fidelma Cotter, assistant principal in the Central Bank policy unit of the banking division; and from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Ms Deirdre Mahony, principal officer, and Ms Ciara Moloney, assistant principal officer. They are both from the cultural policy and institutions unit.

Before we begin, I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards the references witnesses make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

With those niceties completed, I now call on Mr. Jordan to make his opening statement.